AITUC leader faults Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for praising Union Budget when there is no assurance on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

AITUC leader faults Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for praising Union Budget when there is no assurance on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu hailing the Union Budget 2024-25 is meaningless when the Centre has not made any announcement on halting the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) or on allocation of captive mines to the VSP, said Amarjeet Kaur, Member of the National Secretariat of the Communist Party of India and General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).

She was in the city to participate as the chief guest at the inaugural session of AITUC General Council meeting at Ukkunagaram’s Gurajada Kalakshetram here on Sunday.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Ms. Kaur criticised Mr. Naidu for praising the Union Budget when there was no assurance or announcement on revival of the steel plant. The Centre had not even announced its decision on merger of the plant with Steel Authority of India Ltd. How did Mr. Naidu appreciate the Union Budget without raising these issues pertaining to the State? Ms. Kaur questioned.

She said that the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was established after the sacrifice of many leaders. She said that the VSP is the pride of Andhra Pradesh, but now due to the policies and decisions taken by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, its condition became deplorable.

Ms. Kaur said that the economic condition of the country was pathetic and about 70% of the youth of the country were unemployed. Sexual harassment of women was also increasing in the country. She mentioned that women were tortured, especially in Manipur. She said even Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not go to Manipur after the series of incidents.

Ms. Kaur said that about 95% of the workers in the country were not getting proper wages and it was high time that all the people of the country, especially the labour and trade union leaders, unitedly fought against the governments for the rights.

She appealed to the leaders of various trade unions to participate in the proposed Black Day on September 23 against the government’s decision to introduce four labour codes passed in Parliament on September 22 and 23 in 2022, without any discussion and information to other parties.